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An American Benedict?

I've been crushing on the name Benedict lately! However, as an American, there is some hesitation about the name thanks to the traitor BenedictArnold. One would think over 230 years would be enough time to move on, but oh well

So, do you think Benedict could be wearable on an American boy? I generally prefer full names, so I probably wouldn't call him Ben or Benny/Bene all that often (especially since I have a cousin named Ben, short for Benjamin).

I love the name Benedict too! When I asked about Benedict about a week ago, most Berries seemed okay with it. If anything, I think of the most recent pope, Pope Benedict XVI.

I think it's very wearable, because there are so many other associations beyond BenedictArnold. There's the twenty six Pope Benedicts, the saint Benedict, the Shakespeare character, and the British actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

When you say Benedict, the very first thing I think is Arnold. Maybe it's not such a big deal in some areas or some groups, but I grew up in a family that loves American history. Unfortunately, even with the pope, I think many will think BenedictArnold... I mean, we used to use it as a synonym for 'traitor'. If you use it, I'd recommend either using it as a mn or giving a very solid, traditional mn to fall back on in case it becomes an issue...

INTJ Anthropologist Living in the centre of China, married to a Persian, and just enjoying a completely unpredictable life